How not to be a tourist in Cuba Vol.2
Following our series of posts, today we bring you the second part of our “manual” about how not to be a tourist in Cuba. We know that being a tourist is fantastic and allows to know different cultures and places, but our idea is proposing you the possibility to experiment the real sensation of being part of Cuba. Rent a house in Cuba and discover the real Cuban way of life.
Trinidad, a musical place
Trinidad is known for having the most varied and condensed musical scene beyond Havana. In this city, music seems to come from all corners, mainly improvised. But if you want to find an even more Cuban atmosphere, the option is to get closer to Sancti Spíritus, a colonial city that is a cultural jewel just behind Trinidad, an advantage for visitors who want to escape the tourist bustle. The city, founded by Diego Velázquez in 1514, has also given the world something very, very Cuban: the guayabera, that elegant shirt that is dressed on special occasions.
In this country there is music everywhere and places that will make you feel like authentic Cubans following the rhythm, like the Casas de la Trova, cultural places of the provincial cities where you will listen to son and boleros; the rituals of street rumba in Havana and Matanzas, with percussion and dance, that evoke the spirit of the Orishas (Yoruba deities). La Tumba Francesa is the esoteric musical option and in the provinces of Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba, you will discover mysterious folk dance groups performing musical rites with a Haitian influence.
Santa Cruz del Sur
There are not too many tourists that arrive at this corner of the southeastern coast of Cuba, known mostly because it completely disappeared from the map after a hurricane in 1932. Santa Cruz del Sur is a small port at the end of the road, with fascinating monuments and a beautiful home.
It is one of the starting points for visiting the tranquil cays of Jardines de la Reina, a 120-kilometer-long mangrove forest and a coral system island located 80 kilometers south of the coast of Ciego de Ávila province and 120 North of the Cayman Islands. The marine park of 3,800 square kilometers includes virgin areas, more or less intact, since the time of Columbus.
On the road: from Baracoa to Holguín
If someone crosses the central road of Cuba to go to Baracoa, you can return, passing by Holguín, through a less common route; authentically Cuban and non-traffic road. Here one can find, due to its biodiversity, the most virgin and protected area of Cuba: the national park Alejandro de Humboldt.
The road is not easy and it is necessary to rent a car in Cuba to travel the north coast where you can stop, for example, in Cayo Saetia, a wonderful place with secluded beaches and an old hunting reserve. Towards the interior of the region, you can soak up the authentic rural charm of Cuba in Pinares de Mayarí, in the mountains of the Sierra Cristal, perfect for excursions. Nearby, you can stop at the Historic Site of Biran, to see the surprisingly prosperous farming community that Fidel Castro generated.
We hope you have enjoyed reading our advises about how not be a tourist in Cuba. Don’t miss the opportunity of enjoying all of these plans and rent a house in Cuba, you will not regret it!
